


The Storm

by kc_evans



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Implied Relationships, Implied Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-10
Updated: 2015-04-10
Packaged: 2018-03-22 03:51:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3713911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kc_evans/pseuds/kc_evans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While taking shelter from a blizzard, Ellana Lavellan finds herself sharing it with a shem named Cullen Rutherford who intrigues her like no one she’s ever met.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Unbetaed. No copyright infringement intended.

Ellana Lavellan frowned at the extra set of footprints in the snow, almost parallel to the prints she had made earlier. They led directly towards the cave she’d found and marked in case she was stuck out here for the night. Looking around for any signs of the newcomer, Ellana slowly shrugged her bow loose and nocked an arrow against the string. Trudging forward, she led with her bow until she found the intruder.

Ducking behind a cluster of trees, Ellana peered out cautiously at him, blinking furiously when snow drifted in her eyes and blurred her vision. He was human, tall, blond haired ruffling in the brisk wind, wearing armor that had to be uncomfortable and cold in this weather. He did have some sort of furred tabard on and sturdy boots, the only concession to the weather she saw. He was armed with a sword and shield, but he was studying the ground and didn’t notice her. Yet.

It was risky to confront him herself - where there was one shem, there was usually at least one more - but the snow was falling in thicker flakes and the wind swirled around her furiously. He was between her and the cave and they would both need shelter soon if she read the weather right.

Stepping out from the small copse, Ellana made sure the arrow was taut against the bowstring, aimed directly at him, and said loudly, “Are you lost?”

The man whirled around, surprised, and his eyes narrowed at the weapon in her hands. “What -” he began.

She didn’t let him finish. “You’re trespassing,” she said flatly. “Let me see your hands and don’t even think about reaching for your sword.”

He frowned at her as if she was the one in the wrong, but Ellana didn’t let that distract her, motioning slightly with her bow to show she was serious. So finally, he spread his hands out in front of her. “What are you doing?” he asked, the slightest note of irritation in his voice.

So the human had the gall to be annoyed with her for defending herself. Well, she wasn’t the one who was sniffing around another person’s territory. “I could ask you the same question, shem. What brings you so close to my cave?” It wasn’t really _her_ cave, but he didn’t have to know that.

The wind picked up briefly, lifting the powdery snow and swirling it around them. Ellana lost sight of him for a moment and took a step back in case he decided to attack her.

Her instincts proved correct, but she was too slow. A moment later, a hand closed over her right hand and the other on the bow. The grasp was tight but not meant to hurt, just to restrain her from turning the weapon on him again. The scowl on his face showed he wasn’t amused in the least. “I hope you aren’t playing a game you can’t win,” he said in a low, threatening voice.

Ellana half-heartedly tried to tug herself free from his hands, but he would not be moved. “You’re faster than you look,” she muttered. The wind howled around them again, flapping her heavy cloak and flattening his fur for several icy moments. Ellana lost her breath in the cold grasp of the moving air, realizing that the snow storm - perhaps a blizzard - was imminent.

There was no choice but to retreat to shelter. She eyed the golden-haired shem for a moment before conceding she couldn’t leave him out here alone to freeze. Her conscious wouldn’t allow it. “I suppose we can share the cave until the weather clears,” Ellana grumbled. “I won’t attack you unless you attack me.”

He stared down at her for a long moment, searching her face for something. A sign, perhaps, that she could be trusted? Whatever it was, he must have found something to reassure him because he finally released his grasp on her hand and bow. “Lead the way then,” he said, gesturing her.

Hyper aware of the shem following close behind her, so close she felt the brush of his furred tabard against her arm, Ellana retreated back to her cave, grateful she had the presence of mind to find it before the weather turned sour. Her bow dangled from her hand in case there was someone else out in this weather looking for shelter, but they encountered no one as they found the mouth of the cave.

Snow began falling in quick and steady waves at an slant. The wind attempted one last attack of icy fingers chilling them but abruptly stopped as they ventured further inside the shelter.

The cave opened up with plenty of room for two, the stone ceiling at least ten feet tall. Ellana saw several travelers had used this area before, from the previous fire pits and scraps of cloth, some logs, and even a torch or two ready to be lit.

The shem went to those torches first, pulling out flint and steel from somewhere on his person to strike a flame. When the cave flooded with light, Ellana looked around to make sure they were truly alone before going to her pack she had lain near the fire pit. “If you’ll get the camp fire started too, I’ll see what I’ve got for food. I assume you’re hungry, shem?”

“I have a name, you know,” the man said. The irritation was still there, but he found some dry kindling around the cave and set it down in the fire pit to start the fire. It was obvious he was no stranger to traveling or surviving out in the wild. Within minutes, he had the camp fire roaring and giving off welcome heat.

Ellana couldn’t help watching him as he worked. His movements were smooth and graceful, large hands sure and steady despite the fact he had no gloves to protect them from the cold. She didn’t realize how hard she stared until he glanced at her, eyebrows raised.

Two spots of heat bloomed on her cheeks and Ellana busied herself searching through her pack, pretending she hadn’t been admiring his physique. He was so different from her people, sturdy and muscular and solid where the Dalish males were as slender as the females with no definition. Was it a wonder she was fascinated by him?

“So, what’s your name then?” she asked, once she was certain she had her embarrassment under control.

The man took a seat next to the fire on the other side of her. He looked at her again for a long moment, face illuminated by the eager flames. “Cullen,” he finally said. “Cullen Rutherford.”

“I’m Ellana of Clan Lavellan,” she said.

There was another pause and Ellana gave him a hard look because he still wore that speculative, searching expression. Whatever he expected to find on her face except her vallaslin, she didn’t know, but she remained tense and unsure until she felt more than saw his body relax.

“You’re a long way from your clan, Ellana,” he said at last. “I don’t think the Dalish make it habit to wander around the Frostbacks.”

She finally found some dried beef sticks and a container of berries and nuts in her pack. She took a piece of meat and began chewing on it while passing the rest to Cullen. “So are you,” she said in between bites. Ellana gestured to his armor. “That’s some fancy protection you’re wearing. I’m guessing you’re a high-level military officer.”

Cullen frowned at the beef stick before picking up one up with the enthusiasm of a prisoner going to the gallows. “You could say that.” He glanced at her, and Ellana realized his eyes were a warm molten honey brown that seemed to capture and reflect the fire back at her. “Have you heard of the Inquisition?”

Ellana snorted. “Of course. Who hasn’t? We Dalish aren’t so out of touch we ignore what’s going on in the world. Things affect us, too, you know.”

“Well, that is good to hear,” Cullen said. He took a bite of the dried meat and chewed on it for a few minutes. When he swallowed, his voice was casual as he said, “I’m the commander of the Inquisition army.”

In all honesty, Ellana wasn’t as surprised as she should have been. Whether she unconsciously realized Cullen had the bearing of an experienced officer, or the fancy armor gave it away, or he just exuded an aura of confidence, nothing less than _commander_ would have suited him. “Very prodigious of you,” she said.

“You’re not afraid?” he asked. For some reason, amusement warmed his voice and it tickled something inside of her.

“Should I be?” she asked. “I came upon you with my weapon drawn first, if you recall.”

A slow smile curved Cullen’s mouth. There was a scar above his lip that moved whenever he spoke and was distracting enough, but that marked skin turned his smile into something irresistible and made her stomach flop. Ellana tried to hide a sudden shiver that ran down her spine as her eyes fell on his mouth. What in Creation was wrong with her?

As if knowing exactly how she felt, Cullen’s smile widened and his voice seemed lower and more intimate, despite the distance between them. “And I turned the tables on you in the next moment. If you recall.”

Ellana’s nostrils flared out as she realized he was playing with her. So she was attracted to him physically. So what? Wasn’t she allowed to form crushes? Humans acted even worse than she did, and her only crime was to admire him from afar. It wasn’t as if she was going to _act_ on her feelings.

Of course, cocooned in this cave with a veritable blizzard outside meant that they were stuck here for hours, perhaps even until the next day. Ellana had a will of iron, but if this shem continued to act all charming, she couldn’t promise anything.

Clearing her throat, she decided a change of subject was in order. “So, Inquisition Commander Cullen Rutherford, what are you doing here in the mountainous forest all by yourself? Where are your soldiers or retinue or however you travel?”

Cullen frowned as he looked away for a moment. “I was with another person, tracking down a great bear terrorizing a village not so far away. We were in the area when the mayor found us and asked us to intervene on their behalf.”

Ellana leaned forward slightly, her interest piqued. “A great bear, you say? I’m searching for a similar creature. But I’m afraid my reasons aren’t as altruistic as yours.”

“Oh?”

She nodded. “I need its pelt. The fur of a great bear can be used to craft some exceptional weapons or armor.”

A hint of amusement turned Cullen’s lips up. “Yes, so I keep hearing. The Inquisitor said the same thing to me.”

“Did she? I would say the Inquisitor is very wise, then.” Having finished her ‘dinner’, Ellana stretched her legs out and took a handful of nuts and berries to munch on. “Tell me about her. I’m very curious about this woman you’re involved with.”

Cullen raised his brows. “I’m sorry, did you say you wanted to hear about the Inquisitor?”

“Why not?” Ellana gestured to the mouth of the cave which already had an inch of snow piled up on the ground. “It’s not as if we have anything else to do here.”

He looked like he was going to argue but abruptly closed his mouth. Conceding her point with a nod, Cullen looked far off in the distance as if recalling some memory. “Well, the Inquisitor. What can I say about her? She is intelligent, funny, warm, tender-hearted ...”

“Beautiful?” Ellana interrupted with a sideways glance at him.

Cullen nodded. “Very much so. Both outside and in.”

She snorted, staring down at her boot just so she wouldn’t see the starry-eyed gaze he wore on his face when he spoke about her. “That sounds like something only a person in love would say.” When Cullen didn’t respond, Ellana jerked her eyes at him, amazed. “You _are_ in love with her!”

He frowned at her. “I don’t see why that’s any of your business,” he said, voice brusque. Any warmth that had appeared before vanished as he leveled a disapproving stare at her. He even looked a little hurt.

Ellana flapped her arms around, spilling a few of her nuts from her hand in her wild gestures. “So the mighty commander of the great Inquisition is in love with the woman he works for. This sounds like one of those crazy love stories you shems enjoy reading. Does she know? The Inquisitor, I mean.”

Cullen continued to scowl at her. “Of course she does. She and I have been ...” He suddenly snapped his mouth shut and slanted her a narrow-eyed look. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this, or why you’re asking.” He leaned forward, the angles of his face glowing from the fire. “Unless ... you’re jealous?”

“Jealous? Me? We just met!” Ellana protested, though her heart tripped and stuttered at the sudden accusation. “And, you’re a shem,” she added, but it was more to protect herself than to insult him.

But instead of being offended, his eyes glittered with a challenge. “And what does that have to do with anything? You seemed rather interested earlier.”

A furious blush rose on her cheeks and Ellana tried to cover up her reaction with a severe frown. Of course he’d throw that back to her face. “Are you flirting with me?”

A lazy smile dawned on Cullen’s face as he leaned back. Interestingly enough, the distance didn’t make her stomach flutter any less. “Maybe.”

Oh, that was not good. Ellana tried to maintain control of her emotions when all she wanted to do was lean over and kiss him or run away screaming into the snow. Both simultaneously. Creators, what was wrong with her? He was just a man.

 _But a very well put together man_ , her mind whispered, body thrilling as it recalled just how nicely Cullen had moved.

Feeling betrayed by her thoughts and body, Ellana fought to find some fault with Cullen. Perhaps that would cool her ardor some. “What about the Inquisitor?” she asked, hating how breathless her voice sounded.

A brief frown crossed Cullen’s brow. “What about her?”

She pointed an accusing finger at him. “You just said you and she were lovers and now you’re flirting with me?”

He shrugged, the easy movement almost hypnotic to watch. “She’s the one who left me here alone,” he grumbled, casting her a sideways glance. “We were hunting the bear and I looked away at some tracks for one minute, and then she just disappeared. She’s probably halfway back to Skyhold by now. She’s not very fond of the cold or blizzards.”

“Who is?” Ellana muttered, shuddering at her own dark memories. Being cold was a new fear she had just developed, and it had taken all her willpower to decide to track the bear in the snowy mountains. She was absurdly glad she didn’t have to be alone while the wind howled furiously outside the cave.

Cullen chuckled. “You know, you’re very much like her. Maybe that’s why I can’t help but act a little out of character.” He glanced at her. “I don’t normally flirt like this, you know.”

“Are you sure? You seem rather good at this,” Ellana said sourly.

“Perhaps it has to do with the other person as it does me,” he suggested with a smirk. “If I attempted to act charming around one of my colleagues, they would simply laugh or put me in my place. But you seem to enjoy our banter.”

Ellana couldn’t think of anything witty to say to that so she kept silent. It was better not to rise up to his bait or deny anything lest he accuse her of wanting him again. But not speaking meant she was now susceptible to thinking about the weather. Even protected from the blizzard outside and sitting so close to a roaring fire, it still wasn’t warm enough. Ellana shivered and inched closer to the pit, wishing cold didn’t permeate from the rocks so well. Her cloak, while good enough for a sunny winter’s day, provided little protection against a full blown snow storm.

Evidently Cullen saw how cold she was because he climbed to his feet. When Ellana’s eyes darted up to him, he held out a placating hand. “Just taking off my tabard. You look like you could use it more than me.”

The kind gesture startled her, unused to such gallantry, but she refused to show any type of weakness against this man. Who knew how he would use it against her? And the fact that he would be mere inches away from her instead of several feet was enough to make her heart thud faster. “You should keep it,” she said, her voice curt.

“I’m warm enough. I’ve got a layer under my armor, and I tend to give off heat,” Cullen said. He pulled off the furred cloak and walked around the fire to kneel next to her.

Despite the danger of gazing into his eyes when he was this close, despite her body suddenly charged at the nearness of his presence, Ellana turned her head to look at Cullen. He met her gaze steadily as he draped the outer layer over her cloak. Instantly, a cloud of warmth and the faint scent of masculine musk surrounded her and filled her senses. The fur made the otherwise thin tabard seem cozy and Ellana snuggled into it instinctively. 

If that had been all he had done, she might have kept a firm grip on herself from doing anything foolish. But instead of drawing back, Cullen decided to rub his hands up and down her arms to add further warmth.

Ellana felt warmer than she had the entire day, and it was no longer because of the layer of clothes or even the slow friction of his ungloved hands on her arms. Her body began to heat from the inside out as her eyes raked over his features, from the light brown of his eyes to the alluring scar to the scruff on his jaw that made him seem even more masculine and appealing. As Cullen swallowed, Ellana’s eyes fell to where his Adam’s apple bobbed and felt the sudden desire to lick and kiss him there. The urge was overwhelming and the welcoming awareness that flared from Cullen’s eyes broke whatever restraints she had left.

She shrugged off his cloak and pushed his hands away so she could surge up on her knees and kiss him, lust and emotion coursing through her body at the first touch of her lips to his. Cullen responded instantly, just as eager as she was, with his arms locked around her, firm but not painful. Their mouths mashed together, tongues exploring and delighting every time they met and fought a brief duel of dominance.

Ellana wanted to explore more of his body, eager to see everything underneath the armor, but her fingers couldn’t find the buckles fast enough. Finally, Cullen broke the kiss and released the catches on his chest plate to shove it aside. Grinning at his growl of impatience, Ellana smoothed her hands over his chest, marveling at the hard, solid mass underneath his fine linen shirt. “I think I could touch you all day and never get tired of it,” she murmured, almost hesitant to reach underneath and touch actual skin. Her fingers finally skimmed the hem of his shirt and splayed against the ridges of his abdomen.

“I could think of other things to do besides touching,” Cullen said, his eyes burning with a fevered light.

The combination of his husky voice rough with desire and the pure heat emanating from the darkened, dilated pupils nearly had Ellana melting into a puddle of mindless goo. She brought Cullen’s head down to kiss him again, this time more slowly but just as determined to show him how much she needed him. More of him. All of him.

It worked better than she thought because a minute later, Cullen tore his lips apart from his long enough to pant, “If this isn’t what you want, you had better tell me to stop now.”

Ellana marveled at his strength to stop and ask because she knew she didn’t have that sort of willpower. Perhaps she was not as strong as she thought. Or perhaps it was this man who had some strange effect over her. “I don’t want to stop,” she said, her voice as breathless as his.

“Thank the Maker!” was his only response before he devoured her again. The rasp of his lips and the rough scratches his jaw made on her skin ripped any remaining coherent thought to shreds.

Hours later, Ellana remained snuggled in a cocoon of warmth with their clothes, her cloak, and the tabard piled on top of them while Cullen spooned behind her. She was closest to the fire at his insistence but she no longer required warmth from it. As he had said earlier, Cullen exuded heat as if he was made of fire.

He snored lightly in her ear, his large body relaxed and languid while curling around her protectively. Ellana smiled when his arms tightened reflexively around her middle, only to slacken a moment later from whatever dream he was experiencing. The quiet, serene atmosphere was perfect after hours of passion and lovemaking and she didn’t regret a single minute of it.

They lay there together until the fire succombed to mere sputters of flame and Ellana sighed at the thought of getting up. But losing the fire wasn’t an option so she slowly untangled herself from Cullen’s arms and slipped free. Naked, she ran over to the log pile, grabbed as much as she could carry, and rushed back. Without Cullen’s heat or any clothes, the cold stabbed her in a million different places and she worked quickly to build the fire back up again. She added more dry kindling, blew on the embers, and finally added the logs when she was satisfied the flames wouldn’t die off.

When Ellana turned her attention back to Cullen, she found his eyes watching her and leisurely perusing her nude body. She scowled. “You could have helped me!”

“And miss you running back and forth, naked?” he said with a chuckle.

She growled at his response but crawled back into his waiting arms when he lifted the makeshift blanket in welcome. Ellana settled back in his embrace and sighed in relief as Cullen’s body warmth began to soak into her bones once again. They shared the companionable silence for a while until Cullen finally spoke.

“You know, we could have used the bedrolls instead of sleeping on the ground,” he said.

“That would have ruined the spontaneity.”

“You would have been a lot warmer.”

Ellana snuggled against him more firmly. “You’re warm enough for me.” She yawned as the cold slowly ebbed away to leave nothing but comfortable heat in its wake. While Cullen had slept, she stayed up to enjoy the intimate embrace but now it was her turn to be drowsy.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, Cullen said, “It’s morning and the blizzard is over. The soldiers will be looking for us.”

“Ugh!” Ellana buried her head under the cloak for a long moment, squeezing her eyes shut and pretending they didn’t have to get up. But duty called and she wasn’t one to shirk her responsibilities. Neither was Cullen.

So she groaned and forced herself to stand, going to her pack for a fresh set of clothes. The cold drove her to change quickly and when she was finally decent, Ellana noticed Cullen had pulled on some fresh clothes himself. She was disappointed he covered himself up so fast. Cullen was putting on his chest plate but having trouble with the buckles. “Need some help?”

He raised his brow as if surprised by her overture. “If you’re offering.”

Ellana went over and helped him set the plate in place before her nimble fingers clasped the pieces together. With that done, she picked up his tabard and set it around his broad shoulders before smoothing the soft fur down as an excuse to touch him again. Even through the thickness of the armor, Ellana felt nothing but strength under her caressing fingers and she shivered, remembering just how pleasurable it was to be held within those arms. “There you go, back to being the indomitable commander of the Inquisition,” she murmured, stepping back lest she ripped the armor off of him.

Turning to face her, Cullen studied her face for a long moment. His gaze was warm but wary, as if uncertain what to say or do. “And what about you? Are you back to being yourself?”

A mischievous smile sprang on her lips at his question. “What, you didn’t enjoy meeting a strange Dalish woman in the middle of the mountains and making wild, passionate love with her?”

It was finally Cullen’s turn for his face to turn red and he cleared his throat several times. “As ... alluring as that was, I prefer the Inquisitor I’ve come to know and admire and love.”

Ellana stepped forward and let one finger trail the outline of his lips slowly. “What’s wrong with having both?” she asked, pitching her voice so it was low and sultry.

She was satisfied to note Cullen’s eyes darken at the tone. “Perhaps you’re right,” he said, his tone husky. He stepped forward and drew her closer to him with an arm around her waist, bending down until his lips hovered above hers in a tantalizing move. “Why can’t I have both?”

“Inquisitor! Commander! Are you in here?”

They groaned simultaneously as the mood shattered and Cullen dropped his forehead on top of hers. “It appears our time together is over,” he murmured. Then, raising his voice, he called out, “We’re here, Lieutenant!”

They broke apart and waited until several soldiers appeared at the mouth of the cave, stomping through several feet of snow. They looked relieved to see Ellana and Cullen unharmed. “Are you all right, my lady, Commander? That blizzard came up fast.”

“We’re fine,” Ellana assured them. “Have you found the great bear?”

“Yes, Your Worship. As the mayor said, it ventured close to the village looking for more food so we managed to kill it before the blizzard came upon us. We also skinned the pelt off as you requested.”

She beamed. “Excellent!” Ellana started to leave the cave to see her prize but Cullen held her back.

“Lieutenant, we’re going to finish tidying up in here. We’ll meet you and the rest of the regiment outside in a few minutes,” Cullen said.

Apparently hearing the dismissive tone, all the soldiers saluted and headed out without another word.

Ellana waited until they were gone before turning towards Cullen. “Is something wrong?”

“I just wanted you to know that I enjoyed our time together,” he said, reaching up to brush a strand of hair back from her face. His eyes were tender but his tone brooked no argument. “But next time you decide to point your bow and arrow at me, how about a little warning beforehand?”

She blushed. “I was just getting into the role. I wasn’t really going to shoot you.”

“How reassuring,” Cullen said dryly. “But I mean it, Ellana. There’s a time and place for playacting, but it’s only fair I know what you’re going to do _before_ you do it.”

Ellana realized she was pouting but she couldn’t help it, even if she knew he was right. “Fine. But tell me you never had the sex-with-a-stranger-you-just-met fantasy?”

“The only person I have fantasies about is you,” Cullen said firmly. He then smirked and added, “But if you’re in the mood for some more role playing later, I have an idea you might fight interesting.” He bent his head and whispered something in her ear.

What he said was so wild and un-Cullen like, desire instantly pooled low in her stomach and she stared at him in shock. Cullen straightened up and flashed her another knowing smirk before he picked up his pack and strode out of the cave.

It took Ellana a very long moment to shake herself out of the daze and push back the surge of desire. Why did Cullen have to say that here when there was no chance of them being alone? She now had extra incentive to get back to Skyhold immediately. Grabbing her own bag, she hurried after Cullen saying, “I call being the dragon!”

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea what Cullen whispered in Ellana's ear. I also don't know where the dragon came from. And sorry for chickening out of the smut but trust me, you don't want me to write it.


End file.
